


Home for the Holidays

by ladylace616



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Car Accidents, College, F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mentions of Cancer, Modern Era, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Character Death, References to Depression, Sexual Content, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Dinner
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-01-16 10:44:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21269756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladylace616/pseuds/ladylace616
Summary: Modern Day AU. Thanksgiving is fast approaching. Catelyn Stark could not be more excited to be welcoming all her children home for the holidays. The question is, are they all excited to be there? On fall break from college, Bran would rather not visit the ghosts of his past. He finds they're impossible to avoid though when his parents decide to invite Meera Reed for the holidays.





	1. Chapter 1

Bran was the first of Catelyn’s children to return to the nest this Thanksgiving.

Rickon was her only baby left at the Stark Manor named Winterfell. He attended high school at Wintertown High. He wasn’t at home to greet his brother, as he led a very active social life. He was a jock with a girlfriend that he spent all his spare time with.

Bran came home to his mother, alone in the big house. There were gardeners maintaining the hedges and raking the changing leaves when he pulled up in his car. His father was still at work.

Bran stiffly managed to get out of his car, cane in hand. He’d been in a car accident a few years earlier, which nearly robbed him of his ability to walk. After years of arduous physical therapy and the finest doctors money could buy, Bran was able to walk again, albeit with a limp. He would never run again. He used a cane to get around. He had a pain treatment plan that included a lot of expensive meds.

He lugged his luggage and backpack that was stuffed with his school laptop inside. He was on fall break from the university. This was his first year attending college away from home, so Catelyn was especially glad to welcome him home.

“Oh, Bran! You look more studious every time I see you, my little scholar,” she said, as she pressed his head against her chest during their embrace. Bran suffered through the embarrassment and pulled away. 

She was undoubtedly referring to his serious disposition and solemn resting face. He wore oval rimmed wire glasses and seldom smiled. There was a reason for that, and being home for the holidays only reminded him of the reason for his melancholy.

It was nice to see the family, though. He posted up in his old bedroom to wait for Rickon to return for the night. He unpacked and got comfortable. He browsed through his book collection for something to do until his father came home. When he returned, Ned and Catelyn had a quiet dinner for three with Rickon still out of the house. His curfew was eleven thirty, supposedly.

Rickon was a ladie’s man. He had the shaggy red hair of the Tullys and wild eyes like their sister Arya. He sported a scraggly goatee and expressive eyebrows. He was impulsive, boisterous, and cocky. In other words, the complete opposite of his brainy elder brother. 

Bran was dozing in his room when he woke at the sound of the house alarm. The security beeped to announce his arrival. Bran crept to Rickon’s bedroom down the hall to wait for him.

Rickon was trying unsuccessfully to sneak as quietly as possible through the house. All of his efforts were for naught though when he turned on his bedroom light and saw Bran sitting there. He gave an unmanly shout of surprise and Bran laughed.

“Seven Hells, man!” Rickon bellowed at his brother. “You’ll give a man a heart attack!” He threw a dvd case sitting on his entertainment stand in Bran’s direction. Bran couldn’t stop laughing as he hefted himself to his feet with the aid of his cane. He’d been sitting in one of Rickon’s many gaming chairs in front of his giant TV.

Rickon pounded on his back as they embraced in a brotherly hug. “What’s this one’s name you’re willing to get into trouble for, huh?” Bran asked good naturedly, having known his brother’s recent whereabouts.

“Her name’s Gwen, she’s got a nice set,” he shrugged with a wolfish grin. “What’s it to you? Has that long face of yours attracted any birds up at the university, hm?” he asked, ribbing his brother good naturedly. It was well known in their family that Bran didn’t date or get around. He was a solitary kind of fellow devoted to his studies. His current aspiration was to be a doctor someday.

Bran smiled. “I’m married to my studies,” he chortled and Rickon rolled his eyes. “Bran, our good virgin,” Rickon joked. Bran didn’t bristle at the comment; what his brother didn’t know, he couldn’t tease him about.

“Well rest up, we’re supposed to be helping mom around the house tomorrow,” Bran finally said to him as he left the room. He retired to his bedroom and slept soundly for the rest of his first night home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It has been so meaningful to me to receive feedback on this story!!! Thank you very much for your kind comments and kudos. I certainly hope to live up to your expectations and will try my best. Just know that this is going to be angst-fest before this is over, so I hope you like that! ^_^ Consider this your warning.
> 
> Also, I wanted to note that the ages of the Reeds have been altered for the purposes of this story. While Jojen and Meera are both older than Bran, in this story Bran and Jojen are the same age. Meera is only two years older than them, not Robb & Jon's age. 
> 
> Without further ado, read on!

The next day, true to her word, Catelyn set the boys to work as promised. Rickon got saddled with the heavy lifting. Bran was exempt on account of his pronounced limp and cane. That did not stop Catelyn from dispatching Bran to go to the grocery store for last minute items she needed for dinner.

At the market, Bran ran into someone from his past. There was a familiar dark haired beauty shopping in the produce aisle when he happened upon her.

Bran almost turned around before she could see him.  _ Almost. _

“Bran?!”

_ Too late. _

Meera caught sight of him and moved with her shopping cart towards him. She abandoned her shopping cart to come and give him a hug. “Your mom said you were coming back for the holiday. When did you get back?” she asked.

_ She asked about me _ , Bran realized with a nervous grin as he returned her embrace. Meera looked thin and pale. Her eyes were dark and she had dark bags under her eyes. Her hair was it’s usual curly mass around her shoulders. Bran was closer to her height now since his growth spurt in college. He also sported a few whiskers on his chin so he hoped she thought he looked more mature than the last time he’d seen her.

“Last night,” Bran answered. It was a nervous habit of his to adjust his glasses, and he did so in front of Meera. Even though it had been years since they hung out, Meera recognized the tick of his and smiled kindly. She hoped to put him at ease. She wanted him to know she wasn’t mad at him.

They had not seen each other in almost a year. The last time he saw her, it was over her father’s sickbed. 

His brow furrowed curiously when he asked, “When did you talk to my mom?”

“The other day, actually. Didn’t your parents tell you? I’m invited to the festivities this year, since, you know....”

Bran knew. Her father had passed away during the spring. Bran kept in contact with his father regularly, and Ned had informed him when Howland passed away. He regretted that he did not come home for the funeral. It was during a crucial time before his exams. His stomach still churned with guilt at the thought, especially standing in front of her now.

For a moment, Bran couldn’t react. 

“Oh yeah. They must’ve forgot to mention that,” he said, a sour looking thin lipped smile appearing on his face. Meera’s smile faltered slightly at the look on Bran’s face, and her tone was both hopeful and confused when she continued.

“I’m bringing a pie. Your mom said I didn’t have to, but I’m going to.”

“I hope it’s pecan.”

“It might be.” She said, giving him another unsure smile. Her smile was more strained now, because it seemed like Bran wasn’t happy about her coming over. Or maybe she imagined it. She gestured down at Bran’s basket. “Well, I better let you get going,” she remarked.

“Okay, it was good seeing you,” he said. 

“Good seeing you, too. See you Thursday!”

Bran could think of nothing that would cause him more panic. 

-&&&-

On the ride home, Bran knew without looking that his face was beet red. He cursed himself for his awkwardness around Meera. Bran had always felt tongue tied around her. He’d had a crush on Meera as his best friend’s older sister for as long as he had known her. 

Meera was a serious person such as himself. What’s more is she was a passionate and determined individual. She had been part of the chess club her brother and Bran ran. She was a violinist at a fine art’s academy across the country when her father was diagnosed with cancer.

As his time neared, Meera moved back home to care for him. Catelyn mentioned to him the odd time or two when she ran into the girl. Meera used to spend evenings at Winterfell with her brother Jojen, but years had passed since that time.

When Bran re-entered the house looking for his mother, he recognized the sound of his older sister’s voice. Sansa was on the computer screen in the study. Bran walked into the room with his mother’s credit card. His mother was skyping with Sansa. 

Sansa was exempt from coming home for the holiday. She was celebrating Thanksgiving this year with her long-term boyfriend Podrick’s family. She was explaining this once again as nicely as possible to their overbearing mother who wanted her home. She rolled her eyes for Bran’s entertainment, and he snickered quietly as he laid the card and receipt at his mother’s elbow.

Even so, he was troubled about seeing Meera. He didn’t have any more finesse than usual when it came to her. He had come close to admitting his feelings to her during high school, but ultimately chickened out. That was before the accident. Bran didn’t like to think about the accident.

He went in search of his father.

He found him right where he expected the man to be. The man was as predictable as he was honest. Ned was sitting under the weirwood tree in their backyard. It was his favorite place to come and think. 

“I heard you invited Meera over for Thanksgiving this year,” Bran stated to him. It was not a question, which Ned noticed right away. He grimaced at the serious look on his middle son’s face. 

“I take it your mother told you?” he asked. “We thought it best to wait to tell you,” Ned carefully said to him, eyeing his son with keen interest.

“No? Much better for her to tell me, since I ran into Meera at the market.  _ She _ told me.” Bran’s face was totally dead pan, suggesting he thought someone might have warned him that she was going to be present this year before she herself did.

He said as much to his father. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this,” he admitted.

“You can’t run from your past, Bran.”

“Literally,” Bran scoffed under his breath resentfully.

“Every man makes decisions they regret sometimes. There’s only one thing you can do when you make a mistake- own up to it. Look it in the face and recognize what you did wrong, so you can learn from it. She deserves that much, son.”

The worst thing was that he knew his father was right. His father knew exactly what his position was at the moment, and what’s more, he was urging him that the only way out was through it.

There would be no outmaneuvering this awkward catastrophe that was waiting to happen.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Rating upgraded for some adult situations - _Mature Content_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I appreciate everyone who bookmarked this work~! Thank you so much for the encouragement and sorry it has been some time since the last update. Sudden inspiration struck! Hope you enjoy ^.~

**Chapter 3**

  
  


Robb and his family were the second arrivals to Winterfell. 

Robb pulled into the driveway in his family’s sports utility vehicle. His beautiful wife Margaery and their two red headed sons Ned and Theon piled out of the vehicle in the mid afternoon hours of the day.

Ned was working, as usual. It was Catelyn, Bran, and Rickon that welcomed Robb and his family that afternoon. 

Rickon was delighted to welcome his nephews to the house. They saw each other regularly since Grandma babysat the boys often. 

They were rambunctious four and two year olds. They loved Rickon’s gaming room. The boys naturally gravitated to Rickon because of his general level of enthusiasm. He was an energetic, fun loving sort of guy. He was pretty much the epitome of a cool young uncle to them.

After they’d hauled all their overnight bags in, Catelynn had an announcement. 

“We’re going out to lunch,” she told everyone. Everyone in the party agreed on a location. Catelynn would drive Bran and Rickon and Robb would meet them there with his family.

After they arrived and were seated, Margaery was eager for gossip on the rest of the family. “It’s a shame we won’t be seeing Sansa at the table this year,” she commented. Margaery and Sansa had been best friends since high school. 

Sansa was an amazing aunt that often sent her nephews gifts in the mail. They spoke on the phone regularly, and Margaery was always teasing her about when she was finally going to get engaged. She and Podrick had been dating for at least four years by her count.

“Yes, I did try to convince her,” Catelyn said. 

“But cheer up, you’ll be able to meet a new arrival today. Jon is bringing his new girlfriend along for the first time,” Margery said.

“How long have they been seeing each other?” Catelyn asked.

“It’s been about six months or so, I reckon,” Robb said around a mouthful of brunch. 

“We met her at Robb’s birthday party,” Margaery explained. 

“What was it that Lyanna told Ned? She works at the garage he takes his car to?” Catelyn asked. Already she had her misgivings about a lady mechanic. 

The children behaved for the most part, until Theon the younger started to get antsy. He’d slept in the car and at the restaurant he was a livewire. He was a naturally loud and expressive child that his parents had a hard time shushing from time to time. 

Catelynn managed him very well, and did a good job directing Margaery’s course of action. Margarey was sweet tempered enough to take her mother-in-law’s advice without complaint.

Jon and his new girlfriend Ygritte arrived later in the evening, shortly before dinner. 

Upon first sight, Catelyn did not approve of the young lady. Jon was like a fourth son to her. She would never have picked this red head with half her head shaved and her arms covered in tattoos. Only the Seven knew what else the girl had inked on her body  _ elsewhere _ . 

She looked like a hot mess- not someone her sweet Jon would ever go for. She was amazed at what he might see in the girl.

Jon was an only child raised by his mother Lyanna. His father Rhaegar was a philanderer and Lyanna had been his second failed marriage. Jon rarely saw his father but had a close relationship with his mother and her brothers; Uncle Benjen and Uncle Ned. 

Jon was eight years old when his mother died. He spent a few months under his father’s care, but ultimately was rejected by Rhaegar’s third wife. 

Rhaegar appealed to Lyanna’s relatives and Ned agreed to take the boy in. He and Catelyn became his primary guardians. He lived with the Starks until he graduated from high school and started going to trade school. He’d been a close member of the family even before he moved in and became part of their household.

Ygritte, in addition to having tattoos and offending Catelyn that way, also had a bawdy mouth. It caused Jon many embarrassed silences after her loud and proud pronouncements. She was quite the feminist but acted distinctly masculine given her profession. It was a contradiction that did not agree with Catelyn whatsoever, and she had to be restrained multiple times by Ned’s gentle admonishing hand on her arm a couple of times through dinner.

Ned was amused by his son’s choice in partner. She was quite a spitfire which he couldn’t wholly condemn. His sister had been willful such as her so he could see Jon’s attraction. He was biting his tongue the entire dinner, trying not to chortle out loud at some of Ygritte’s more offensive comments. Her kind of talk was definitely reserved for the bar crowd, not Catelyn’s prim and proper family dinners with matching silverware and cutlery.

Catelyn insisted that Jon and Ygritte sleep apart under their roof. Ygritte was given a guest room on the opposite side of the house, nearer to Sansa’s old quarters. 

Ygritte nearly mauled Jon after her shower, exposing more of her skin than was appropriate in her small, bright purple robe. Jon barely managed to extricate himself from her, because he intended not to disrespect the household by having sex with her under it just yet.

Ygritte had other plans.

In the middle of the night, she crept under Jon’s sheets and settled into bed with him. Jon was half asleep and paid no attention to how they were breaking the rules. He pulled her closer against his side, and she responded by nuzzling his neck and snaking a hand down the front of his boxer briefs.

Jon responded with a low and throaty groan. Ygritte proceeded to nibble his earlobe sexily as she knew he liked it. She squeezed and jerked him off as she whispered filthy things into his ear. She specialized in dirty talk that made the wholesome young man tremble with desire.

Ygritte pulled the blankets off of him and shimmied his boxers down his legs. She was only wearing her small black nightie, and she quickly and easily climbed on top of him. Their bodies joined at their most intimate part, Ygritte gave a soft cry and started to ride him with vigor. Their lips crashed hungrily, and they swallowed each other’s cries of pleasure as Jon came.

Jon pulled away from Ygritte, and then settled in between her legs. He was spent, but he was a generous lover and wouldn’t leave her wanting.

It turned out Ygritte was too loud, as usual. Even though Jon muffled her cries by clamping his hand over her mouth, she still bucked and swore up a storm in between gasped breaths.

They collapsed in sweaty jumble of limbs and exposed body parts. Jon never put his pants back on, naked from the waist down as he cuddled his girlfriend. They dozed peacefully, and Ygritte never bothered to creep back to her guest room.

The next morning, Ned, Robb, Margery, and their sons were already downstairs in the kitchen. The boys were seated at the kitchen table eating cereal, and Margery and Robb were seated opposite the kids. Ned was making coffee, reading his newspaper with his reading glasses in place.

Jon stumbled down the steps to the kitchen, bleary eyed and in search of the coffee. Ygritte was still asleep in the bedroom. 

“Morning!” Robb chirped rather brightly. He smiled, already clued in on his father’s discomfort. Ned had nonchalantly lowered his reading glasses further down his nose, looking down at the paper in his hands but clearly not reading it.

“Morning,” Jon mumbled back, obliviously shuffling closer towards his father. He started to help himself to some coffee when Ned nonchalantly asked him, “Sleep well?”

It was enough to mortify Jon and cause Robb and Margery to start laughing out loud. Everyone knew! Jon was turning red in embarrassment, guessing that he was right all along about Ygritte being far too loud the night before.

Ned reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his wallet. He slapped down some money on the island in front of them. “Your mother had quite the shock this morning.”

If possible, Jon’s blush deepend from red to purple. He was stoically silent as Ned continued.

“Although we clearly stressed that you would be sleeping in different quarters last night, lo and behold, your mother went to check on you this morning and discovered _ quite the sight _ , to say the least,” Ned admonished him in his stern fatherly voice. It was very difficult to do with Robb and Margery laughing so hard behind them both.

“You might spare her some embarrassment, and head out for breakfast this morning, won’t you?” he politely asked of his son.

“Of course, no problem. Sorry, thanks,” Jon blurted all at once. He took his mug of coffee and the money and disappeared faster than anyone could have thought possible.

Ned gave Robb and Margery a narrowed look of reproach at their laughter. Their sons Theon and Ned kept asking what was so funny. “Nothing, nothing,” Margery insisted in between giggles.

Ned allowed an indulgent grin behind his newspaper when he finally lifted it to try and read again.


End file.
